As has been tradition since 2013, sustainable development will once again be on the agenda at the Italian Grand Prix, the sixth round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship which will be held at the Mugello circuit from May 31 to June 3 .
In fact, KISS Mugello-Keep It Shiny and Sustainable, Mugello Circuit's environmental and social sustainability program, will be launched for the seventh consecutive year. The program aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable behavior in major sporting events, including by presenting many good practices that people can bring into their daily lives.
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES
Since its first edition, KiSS Mugello has focused on waste sorting in order to reduce the environmental impact of the event. The program aims to provide fans and spectators, most of whom are used to camping all weekend on the Tuscan hills surrounding the circuit, with the appropriate information and tools so that they can better collect and sort the waste. Concretely, this involves the distribution of waste sorting guides to circuit operators, the distribution of around 20 recycling bag kits to fans and spectators, recycling areas in the paddock, a free waste collection service. cooking oils for paddock hotels, and more than 000 free drinking water fountains for spectators on the circuit.
To spread the good word, four KiSS Mugello information counters will be installed in the paddock and in the spectator area, each equipped with a mini-recycling area.
But other initiatives will also be considered this year: the collection of coffee waste will make it possible to grow edible mushrooms at home, an awareness campaign on cigarette butts with the distribution of portable ashtrays, an awareness campaign on glass recycling carried out in collaboration with CoReVe (Italian National Consortium for the Management, Collection and Processing of Glass), the distribution of information leaflets on waste sorting to the food stands located along the circuit, and in the paddocks, the installation a very special waste compactor, a “reverse vending machine” (in cooperation with Corepla – Italian National Consortium for the management, collection and processing of plastic), whose aim is to promote “incentivized recycling” of bottles plastics (PET).
A relaxing “green space” in the paddock will be set up with benches made of recycled plastic and steel, in cooperation with Corepla and Ricrea (Italian National Consortium for the management, collection and processing of steel) to concretely demonstrate the potential of the circular economy.
CiAl (Italian National Consortium for the Management, Collection and Processing of Aluminum) will support an ad hoc campaign and competition for the recycling of aluminum cans.
“Green Riders” will walk around the circuit inviting people to bring cans to the KiSS Mugello information counter located at VR 46 Fan Club and win some recycled aluminum items.
The sustainable supply of printed paper was ensured through cooperation with Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Italia: waste sorting guidelines, information brochures, office bins and communication materials are printed only on FSC® certified paper.
SOCIAL INITIATIVES
In addition to environmental initiatives, KiSS Mugello also promotes social initiatives, in which various non-profit organizations participate.
As in the past, one of the most moving initiatives (included in the official Grand Prix calendar on Thursday) is the solidarity walk from the stands reserved for boys and girls with disabilities, from local non-profit associations, who will have the chance to walk along the pit lane and visit the racing team boxes.
Saturday and Sunday, a collection of surplus food will be carried out in collaboration with the circuit's reception structures and the teams who will join the initiative. The initiative is organized in collaboration with Fondazione Banco Alimentare (non-profit partner) and Cuki Cofresco (technical partner providing the “food boxes kit”, made of aluminum and fully recyclable) and aims to contribute to the fight against food waste (according to FAO estimates, food waste represents around 1,3 billion tonnes per year, or around a third of global food production for human consumption).
RECORD FIGURES FOR KISS MUGELLO
In 2013, KiSS Mugello set a precedent as the first program of its kind in the world. Most recently, the program had the honor of being featured in the report “Playing Our Planet. How Sports Win from Being Sustainable” published by UEFA, WWF and GREEN SPORT ALLIANCE, an overview of global best practices in sustainable environmental and social initiatives in the sports industry (downloadable at kissmugello.com/it/ playing-for-our-planet). In addition, the Tuscan circuit was the first in the world to obtain, in 2015, the “Achievement of Excellence” recognition, the highest level of accreditation in the environmental sustainability program launched by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile). ).
In 2019, KiSS Mugello will once again look to surpass the results of previous editions. In 2018, sorted waste exceeded 50% (66 pieces of waste were sorted and recovered, out of a total of 840 kg of waste collected, with 133 spectators present at the Grand Prix on the weekend), thus confirming the improvements over time (when KiSS Mugello started in 000, waste sorting reached 150%).
The collection of food surpluses in 2018 included more than 2.000 meal equivalents (a meal equivalent corresponding to 0,5 kg of food).
QUOTE FROM THE FIM PRESIDENT
“Sport is a factor of sustainable development and the KiSS program is a very comprehensive initiative that includes the social and environmental sustainability of FIM events, which I support unconditionally. Celebrating 7 years of this sustainability festival is also a good reason to celebrate World Environment Day. Every year on June 5, we have supported strengthening our ties with the United Nations environment for over a decade. This year we are very satisfied because this program will also be included in other disciplines such as enduro and Rally Raid” declares Mr. Jorge Viegas, President of the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation).
WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
As in previous years, KiSS Mugello will be largely supported by a communication campaign on the web and social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). The official hashtags are #KiSSMugello, #ItalianGP, #MugelloCircuit, #FIMRideGreen
